Foreword by Amy Poehler

Illustrated by Nina Cosford

On Sale: May 12, 2026
Page Count: 176 pages
Publisher: Workman Kids
ISBN-13: 9781523525034

$12.99

$16.99 CAD

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Trade Paperback $12.99 $16.99 CAD
Audiobook Download (Unabridged) $18.99

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Teen girls learn rules all the time, even if many of them go unsaid. Be yourself! But don’t be weird! Hustle hard—your future depends on it! You’re only young once—enjoy it! But no one talks about the life skill they need to navigate all those rules: how to think for themselves.

As the co-founder of Smart Girls, Meredith Walker has spent years making ideas feel real, relevant, and approachable to young people. Now she’s written a whole guide devoted to helping teen girls discover who they are, feel their feelings, develop their confidence—and figure out what to do next. Compact, insightful, and full of warm wisdom, Be Yourself and Other Bad Advice is the perfect book for any reader letting go of the old rules to create a life that’s truly their own.

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Meredith Walker has dedicated her career to empowering young people. She began her life in journalism at Nick News, the groundbreaking Nickelodeon series created by legendary journalist Linda Ellerbee. Meredith worked her way up from production assistant to segment producer, traveling the country to interview kids, experts, politicians, and artists for news stories. She later moved to Saturday Night Live, where she ran the talent department, before she and Amy Poehler cofounded Smart Girls, an online community that encouraged young women to celebrate who they are and who they are becoming. Through programs, workshops, and day camps, Meredith has helped girls try new things and discover more about themselves. That work has taken her from classrooms and regional programs to the White House, the United Nations, and communities around the world.
Meredith lives in Austin, Texas, with her partner Tom and their dogs Banjo and Farris. She believes everyone should read more books, always be kind to dogs, and never go barefoot on airplanes.

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Meredith Walker

About the Author

Meredith Walker has dedicated her career to empowering young people. She began her life in journalism at Nick News, the groundbreaking Nickelodeon series created by legendary journalist Linda Ellerbee. Meredith worked her way up from production assistant to segment producer, traveling the country to interview kids, experts, politicians, and artists for news stories. She later moved to Saturday Night Live, where she ran the talent department, before she and Amy Poehler cofounded Smart Girls, an online community that encouraged young women to celebrate who they are and who they are becoming. Through programs, workshops, and day camps, Meredith has helped girls try new things and discover more about themselves. That work has taken her from classrooms and regional programs to the White House, the United Nations, and communities around the world.

Meredith lives in Austin, Texas, with her partner Tom and their dogs Banjo and Farris. She believes everyone should read more books, always be kind to dogs, and never go barefoot on airplanes.

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Nina Cosford

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